Okay, I admit it. I love musicals! I wanted to be Julie Andrews when I grew up. Two of my favorites: Mary Poppins, and The Sound of Music. But it’s The Sound of Music's ending that fills me with hope me every time. The nuns are grandly singing “Climb Every Mountain” as the Von Trapp family climbs the expansive mountain range to freedom. They made it! And somehow, I am transported with them, feeling like one of the family. That somehow, if I, too, climb every mountain and forge every stream, I will find my dream. ~Esther

Oh my goodness! I'm so embarrassed. I meant ford every stream.... ha!

Wonder Boys I’ve watched this film 100x Grady’s life is fucked up from the first frame. Yet he’s still standing, self-deprecating, introspective, caring, & ‘trying’ to write. Part of the brilliance is that we’re never asked to judge Grady (or his cohorts) for being human, like us. The movie’s wit pushes us through his sludge. And, if we are willing to be in relationship with him (& his friends) we get to the finish line – together. Grady gets what he’s discovered he loves—the girl & writing. Life’s a journey & I’m a writer. It’s my happy ending too.

One of my favorite movies is The Shawshank Redemption. What makes this happy ending so effective is throughout the movie, best friends Red and Andy have each shown huge amounts of resilience during life in prison. Both men have suffered great loss for most of their lives so when Red walks up to Andy on the beach in Zihuatanejo in the final moment of the movie, we don’t even need dialogue here to know these two great friends, after all they’ve endured together, are going to live out their days together as free men in peace.